Thousands of Indian Muslims volunteer to protect holy shrines in Iraq

Shiite Muslims scuffle with policemen during a protest against the ongoing conflict in Iraq, in New Delhi June 22, 2014 (Reuters / Adnan Abidi) / Reuters

Thousands of Shia Muslims in India have volunteered to go to Iraq to protect Shia holy shrines and provide humanitarian aid as radical Sunni militants have captured a major part of the country in their rampage towards Baghdad, killing at least 1,300.

Amid the spreading insurgency in Iraq, where the Islamic State in
Iraq and the Levant (ISIS, ISIL) terrorists are pushing
government forces from cities and towns, Indian Muslims
spearheaded by a religious organization are recruiting volunteers
pledging to protect Shia holy shrines in the country.

Over 20,000 people – ranging from engineers to students and
police officers – have already signed up for the task and filled
out documents for visas to Iraq, said Hasan Haider, an executive
member of the Shia NGO Anjuman E. Haideri, as cited by The Times
of India on Thursday. According to a report by The India Express
on Wednesday more than 100,000 people have registered at the NGO
to travel to Iraq.

The organizers have stated that their aim is not to respond with
violence, but to provide relief and medical aid, as well as to
protect their holy sites.

"We could travel to Iraq to form a human chain to save people
from being tortured. We could fetch water and donate blood and do
anything to save our shrines,” said Syed Bilal Hussain
Abidi, a senior member of the group as quoted by Reuters.

Haider said that the group will not participate in fighting.
"We will not respond to terror with terror," he told
local media.

The Indian Muslims have also denounced ISIS (ISIL) terrorists
saying that their mission is not sectarian but against
terrorists.

The leaders of the Shia NGO are reportedly planning to march to
the Iraqi embassy in New Delhi on Friday to deliver the forms.
However, it is not clear whether the volunteers will be granted
visas, as India's foreign ministry has said it will not allow its
citizens to go to Iraq for security reasons.

The registrations began following a protest held in Delhi last
week condemning terrorism in Iraq, local media reported. The
protest was organized by Shia groups and attended by more than
400 Shia Muslims from Delhi, Aligarh, Punjab and neighboring
areas. They were joined by prominent Sunnis who voiced their
solidarity in declaring the ISIS an un-Islamic terrorist
organization.

Islam is the second largest religion in India, making up about 15
percent of the country's population, with about 177 million
worshippers.

ISIS militants’ advances are not showing any sign of abating as
they have laid siege to half of Iraq on their way to the capital
Baghdad. The militants have also vowed to march and capture the
holy Shia sites of Najaf and Karbala south of Baghdad.

Najaf is considered to be the center of Shia political power in
Iraq and the third holiest city of Shia Islam. Karbala is amongst
the holiest cities for Shia Muslims alongside Mecca and Medina,
while millions of worshipers from around the world visit annually
to remember the martyrdom of Imam Hussein.